Erie Lackawanna
Railfan.net 'erielack' E-Mail List Photo Archive

9939_third.jpg   Original: 977 by 581 pixels - Current: 977 by 581 - 100%
                          Try your mouse wheel too!

Previous Image - 9939_Second.jpg (No Next Image)

From: RWisneski AT njtransit DOT com
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 23:53:32 -0400
Subject: CR 9939 at Wayne, NJ May 1981
"9939_third.jpg" - image/pjpeg, 977x581 (24bit)

Here is a series of photos I took in May 1981 of an eastbound move on Conrail's ex Erie Greenwood Lake Branch at Wayne, NJ, just a little north of Mountain View. At the time I was a senior in High School and just getting into railroads as a hobby, so these photos are cheap color prints which explains the poor image quality. As I recall, I was working at my after-school job at Marco's Playmart in Pompton Plains when I heard the horn being sounded by the local for the Jackson Avenue crossing in Pompton Plains. I opened up the back door at the store (for the loading dock) and saw the RS3M go by - something I had not seen before. I decided to try and photograph the train and left work early. I think I drove home (in my parent's 1970 Chevy Townsman Estate Wagon with the economical 350 engine) to get the camera, then headed further east to intercept. Track conditions on the line were rather poor and speeds were slow so I was able to catch the train as it approached the Ryerson Avenue crossing in Wayne, a few miles east of Pompton Plains. Thinking about this now, I realize this was my first "chase" of a train.

At the time I believe the only regular customers north of Mountain View were BER Plastics in Riverdale and the Feed place in Pequannock (which unloaded boxcars on the Pequannock Team Track). A year later the line became the NYS&W's Pompton Branch and service to Wayne was eliminated, as the NYS&W could access the line from the west end at Pompton Junction. Today NYS&W still serves the northern portion of the line, coming as far south as Morris Pipe at the west/north end of Pompton Plains. BTW, the 9939 was ex CNJ 1542.

The area where the photos was taken at one time housed the Wayne Station that Fred Stratton has discussed over the years. I believe that's the remains of the platform visibile across the tracks in the "9939 Second" photo. The brick building visible in "9939 Fourth" was part of Mack Wayne Molding which I believe had been a railroad customer at one time.

I recently found some freight carloading info for the Pompton Plains area (part of the exhibits prepared by the EL in 1964 when they applied to the NJ Public Utilities Commission for permission to eliminate Pompton Plains as an agency station) and will be putting some of this info onto the list. After I scan them I will donate the original documents to the Pequannock Township museum that now occupies the Pompton Plains station.

Rich Wisneski
Denville, NJ



9939_third.jpg

Image EXIF Data:
Image Capture Date   2010:09:18 07:05:40
Software Version   Picasa 3.0
EXIF Version   0210
Image Unique ID   2b87f9c7e216ca01ad7e8992b5869d01


Click Here or on the corner X to close this window.


    All photos are the property of the original photographer unless otherwise noted and are to be used for personal viewing purposes only.

    The use of these photos on any website or other distribution media is strictly forbidden without the express consent of the image copyright holder.

    Linking directly to this page is permitted as long as "Railfan.net Erie Lackawanna Email List Photo Archive" is creditted on the linking page.